Federal inspectors to board 'Death Ship' after safety claims

Owen Jacques is an award-winning investigative journalist from Mackay, now based on the Sunshine Coast as APN Australian Regional Media’s Online News Editor. He has a strong background reporting on politics, business and breaking news. Owen has also specialised in resources reporting, which included a successful campaign to fight 100% fly-in, fly-out mining in rural Queensland towns.

FEDERAL safety inspectors will this week board a coal carrier dubbed the "Death Ship", following accusations the ship's critical life-saving equipment was in disrepair.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is to inspect the Sagittarius when it arrives at the Port of Newcastle.

It is due to arrive on Thursday morning.

The Japanese-owned Sage Sagittarius is already being scrutinised by the New South Wales Coroner, who is considering how two Filipino sailors lost their lives as the ship ventured through Australian waters in late 2012.

The death of a third sailor - a Japanese national - just weeks later earned Sagittarius the nickname of "death or murder ship" from worker advocates.

More than 1600 pages of notes from the Australian Federal Police, NSW Police, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and international authorities will be examined by the Deputy Coroner before the inquest begins in May next year.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

AUGUST 30, 2012 (Day of first death)
● Filipino chief cook Cesar Llanto, 42, vanished overboard 800km north-west of Cairns.
● Crew members claim he was reporting abuse suffered by a fellow seafarer. Investigators found no way he could fall overboard. Ship diverted to Port Kembla for investigation.

SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 (15 days after first death)
● Filipino chief engineer Hector Collado, 57, falls more than 10m to his death while the ship was docked at the Port of Newcastle.

OCTOBER 6, 2012 (37 days after first death)
● Monji, 37, crushed to death by conveyor belt machinery in Japan

SEPTEMBER 19, 2013 (One year, 20 days after first death)
● Panama publishes confidential report into three deaths.

JUNE 16, 2014 (One year, 9 months, 17 days after first death)
● New South Wales Coroner to consider an inquest into Mr Llanto and Mr Collado's deaths in Australian waters.